The resurgence of obscure black metal bands from the darkest hallways of the style’s crypts have become much more of a common occurrence in recent times with the advent of the digital world giving these bands a renewed foothold where previously they were close-kept secrets of the few locals who had heard of them. We could sit here and discuss for hours which bands we’re the luckiest for with their return, and Funeral Oration definitely deserves a mention in that very conversation. Where many might struggle to get back into the swing of these, this Italian act needed no such reintroduction given their comeback creation five years ago and it’s only here with their latest work that they’ve cemented their status as a bonafide blast for the blackened past.

In plenty of instances have we seen acts rise from the void that try their best to either become the incarnate values of the sound as it was when they entered the scene or adapt to the nuances of the modern flavors with all sorts of varying levels of success all across the board. For all that Funeral Oration dares to be, I think it’s easy to say that they embody the best of both worlds even if there is a clear tendency to embrace the former. If it was with their last album that Funeral Oration thought to come back in a big way, then it is here with the seven scathing pieces of “Antropmorte” that they’ve designed to only further that momentum and deliver unyielding destruction through tremendous power. Simple in its approach yet undeniably layered in its execution, Funeral Oration brings forth a venomous concoction of true darkness that relies just as much on its riffage as it does immense dirges of madness spawned right from the void that’s only hastened by the fiery speed with which really propels the album forward into a realm that is nigh on foreboding. From the very beginning, “Antropomorte” makes it clear that this is black metal the likes of which people can really swarm towards knowing that quality is well and truly guaranteed, and you could pick any given track from the record to prove that very theory.

This is black metal of a sort that we could always use more of. Not so much as a shred of power has been lost to the sands of time when it comes to what Funeral Oration is capable of as if their previous work wasn’t proof enough of that. For all that’s delivered within “Antropomorte”, it needs to be made clear that Funeral Oration meets expectations while never once sounding stale or one-dimensional in any way, shape, or form. Pound for pound, Funeral Oration is of the most sensation acts to return to us from deep time.

“Antropomorte” releases on March 22nd via Avantgarde Music!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Antropomorte” on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.

LIKE Funeral Oration on Facebook here.